Grove City College Athletics

Before the season schedule started, there were new challenges for the volleyball team. The players were meeting their third head coach in four years. It was the first year of competition for women’s volleyball in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference. The College Arena was not available for practice or competition for most of the season because of emergency construction work, forcing the team to play its home matches at Grove City High School.

Despite these changes, head coach Susan Roberts and this gregarious group of talented women finished the regular season with a perfect 41-0 record and the No. 1 national ranking by NCAA Division III.

This “rainbow season” included two invitational championships and both the Women’s Keystone and Presidents’ Athletic Conference crowns. The players all believe the November 5th come-from-behind victory over Slippery Rock University (ranked 18th in NCAA Division II at the time) in the re-opened Arena on Parents/Senior Night was the most exciting and memorable match of their careers.

The American Volleyball Coaches Association selected Sue Shadle and Barb Beck for All-America honors and Roberts was named Division III Volleyball Coach of the Year. Samantha Fales earned Academic All-District.